


Secure the Stage

by rjhpandapaws



Series: Hand Brewed Hope [3]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Connor & CyberLife Tower Connor | RK800-60 & Upgraded Connor | RK900 are Siblings, Emotional Roller Coaster, Friends With Benefits, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Miscommunication, Mutual Pining, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-18 16:00:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29985315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rjhpandapaws/pseuds/rjhpandapaws
Summary: Silas is an actor. A master of his craft on and off the stage. He prides himself in his ability to become anyone he needs to be on a moments notice. His labyrinth of masks keeps people at arms length. He doesn't fall in love and he doesn't do feelings.Allen has big plans. one day he is going to be SWAT captain. For now he is working his way through college, trying to get his broken heart to mend. He doesn't date, and his heart doesn't quite understand that there is no room in his life for love. He's looking for a distraction from a ghost that is lingering closer to him that he knows.So what happens when you meet someone and arm's length is neither far enough to keep you safe, or close enough to satisfy the fire beneath your skin? When you meet someone who has learned to see through your masks, how do you protect yourself? In a darkened theater a collision course is set. Love will be felt and feared.
Relationships: Captain Allen/CyberLife Tower Connor | RK800-60
Series: Hand Brewed Hope [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2175729
Kudos: 1





	1. Behind the Scenes

**Author's Note:**

> This is the third story! It starts before A Cup of Something better, but like the other two stories, the time lines will come together. You don't have to read AHM or CSB to read this but it will help!
> 
> also i know canonly Allen is 5'9 but he gives off tall vibes so he's 6'5 in this universe

Allen could hear singing coming from the theater room as he patrolled the lobby. As far as he had known, everyone from the Detroit Community Theater group had left for the day. He was curious as to who had stayed behind. He followed the sound, using the security door to get to the side stage.

The mystery singer was a brunette. He was singing to himself as he broke down the left over set pieces and cleaning the stage for the next group. Something usually left to the theater staff. The song he was singing was slow, sad, and haunting. A ballad of some kind that Allen hadn't heard before but still found himself captivated by anyway. He leaned against the wall and watched.

At some point he must have made a noise, because the new song stopped and he found deep dark brown eyes staring back at him. He took in the new stranger. Loose brown curls that fell into a close undercut, and a smattering of freckles high on his cheekbones and over his nose. He had cupid's bow lips that were curled into a frown. The stranger was shorter than him by a few inches, but what he lacked in height he made up for with his presence. Their staring contest ended as the stranger approached him.

"You just planning to stare or are you going to help me," He paused long enough to glance down at his name patch, "Allen."

"Uh," The security guard's brain short circuited for a moment when he heard his name in the stranger's measured voice, "I guess I can help. What do you need me to do?"

"Great," The stranger smiled, and Allen was relatively certain he would follow that smile into the depths of hell, "We're breaking down sets."

"Do you have a name?" Allen asked dumbly as he followed him out onto the stage.

"I do." The stranger hummed, a teasing smile lighting his face, "Would you like to know it?"

He got to work taking down set pieces and Allen did the same, "Yes."

"Silas." He said with a slight smirk.

Recognition dawned on Allen when he heard the name. Silas was one of a few college students in the theater group and the only one with plans to do this full time. He designed most of the sets himself and painted them, scheduled practices and rehearsals, and helped with costume designs. In the four years since he joined, he had gradually become the group's backbone. Something that Allen found himself admiring.

Idle conversation bounced between them as they broke down the sets. They moved the wall pieces back stage and the smaller parts to their proper storage rooms. After that, Silas set to work sweeping the stage which was a one person job, so Allen just observed him from the stage wing.

"So why do all of this?" Allen found himself asking, "Breaking down the sets and all the cleaning? Isn't that what the theater staff is for?"

The theater staff is here to make the experience of the theater better, not to clean up after the actors." Silas said, sounding like he was talking to a particularly ignorant child.

"Okay, but like, why you specifically?" Allen pressed, "No one stayed behind to help you."

"They never do. Most of the group have lives outside the theater." Silas finished sweeping and grabbed the dry mop, "This is my time to unwind and I enjoy it."

"Sorry for intruding then, I can go if you want." Allen offered when he realized he had shoved himself into something private.

"You're not intruding, its fine," Silas said, shooting him another disarming smile, "You know about me, so how about you tell me a little about you. What's with the security get up?"

Allen chuckled and rubbed at the back of his neck, not expecting to be put on the spot, "I'm in school for a degree in criminology. This is just to pay the bills."

"Ah, going to the police academy once you graduate then?"

"That's the plan. I'd like to make SWAT at some point."

Silas leaned on the mop handle, "That desperate to get shot? Here I thought you were working security to flex your strength. Use your muscle to knock some heads together." Brown eyes very obviously toured his body after that statement, enjoying the view, if the slight smile Silas seemed unaware of was anything to go by. And if Allen preened under the appreciative gaze that was his business and no one else's.

"I want to help people. Save them if I am able." Allen explained, "There are enough people trying to prevent the bad from happening, but not enough ready for when it inevitably does. I want to change that."

"That's very noble of you." Silas remarked, something like sarcasm hanging in his voice, "I like it."

"Thanks." Allen paused, "I think?"

"I was a compliment." Silas laughed as he got back to mopping.

"So what about you?" Allen inquired, "Why theater?"

"That's easy." Silas put the mop away and sat on the edge of the stage, "Up here I get to put the world away and become anyone I want to be. In the process I get to help other people find their escape as well. Pull people into a story and all of us get to forget the world and all the bad stuff for a few hours. A performing arts degree seemed like the best way to insure that I get to keep doing that."

Silas's phone blared to life and he answered it, nodding along to whatever had been said before he hung up and stood, "That would be my ride. See you around Allen."

"Yeah, see you around Silas." He said as Silas hopped off the stage and left toward the lobby.

Allen collected himself and got back to work. His thoughts eventually travelled back to Silas. He did most of this alone. Built the sets and painted them. Set things up before rehearsal and then tore things down so he could clean once it was done. Out of a mix of wanting to, and so he could make things easier for those around him. Allen wondered if anyone thanked him for his efforts. As he finished up his shift, he decided he would stay left on rehearsal days and help Silas clean up. It seemed like too much work for one person.

He didn't understand his attachment to the actor, so he chalked it up to the other brunette's contagious enthusiasm. When someone showed so much unrelenting kindness it was only natural to want to know them better. Perhaps, it was also that he was tired of being alone.

Pushing Gavin away had hurt, but the fear of falling had been bigger and more demanding. So Allen had done what he always did best, he shoved Gavin away and ran like the coward he is. It had been too little too late, Allen had fallen for the hot tempered green eyed man despite his best efforts. Gavin had been hurt understandably, and had cut Allen out of his life. Now it was his turn to move on, and as selfish as it was, Silas seemed like the perfect distraction. Starting something with him would soothe the pain of missing Gavin. It would be simple and casual, no feelings involved. Allen would keep his in check this time. There would be no falling in love. Not for him.


	2. A Man of Many Masks

"Alright, that's wrap" Silas called as the scene finished, he was smiling. The play was coming along well, "You guys did great today. Go home and relax."

The group that was practicing today packed up their scripts and dispersed. Silas walked out with them, saw the group off and then lit a cigarette with a content sigh. As he took the first deep inhale he felt his muscles relax and some of the lingering tension he had been carrying fall away. He let it out with the plume of grey smoke that curled away from his lips on the exhale. He took his time with it, only going back inside when it had burnt away, he snuffed what was left and threw it away. Like usual, he used the back entrance to get to the stage.

Silas loved acting, it allowed him to become who was more than just Connor's mirror image. The faces he wore, the people he became, they mattered. Brought to life by someone who took pride in his craft both on and off the stage. Silas was always acting, bending himself into whoever those around him needed him to be. Silas hid, and kept himself protected by a labyrinth of masks. Any company he kept was held at arm's length if not farther. He didn't do relationships, everything was a no strings attached kind of deal. He didn't want anyone getting too close. The person Silas was once the curtains fell was only for those closest to him to know. That group was small and intimate made up only of Connor, Richard, and Markus. His family and no one else.

He finished putting the chairs away, and moved on to taking apart the floor props and set pieces so they could be put away properly. He started to sing to himself, going through the set list for the play. He hadn't realized he had gained a one man audience until he had finished one of the more depressing numbers and heard a gasp. It was Saturday, and the theater was technically closed, so no one should have been around to hear him. He straightened up and turned toward the right side stage wing where the sound had come from.

His one man audience turned out to be a member of the security staff. He had near black hair and dark caramel eyes, and there seemed to be a perpetual furrow to his brow that was reminisce of concern. He was taller than Silas by about three inches, if he had to hazard a guess. The security guard was attractive and filled out his uniform quite well. Silas frowned at the thought, he needed to finish cleaning up so it would be done right, not day dreaming about sneaking off with a stranger to blow off steam. He sighed and approached his unwanted audience.

"You just planning to stare or are you going to help me," He looked down for the stranger's name, figuring it was a bit rude to start in on someone without knowing their name, "Allen."

"Uh," Allen glanced around seeing a little unsure of himself. Which was probably Silas's fault for snapping at him, he decided he would be a little nicer. Be whoever Allen needed him to be, like he did with everyone else, "I guess I can help. What do you need me to do?"

"Great. we're breaking down sets." Silas smiled over his shoulder at Allen as he moved to get back to work, picking up from where he had been interrupted.

He heard Allen follow behind him. He came to work beside Silas as they took apart the city scape backdrop, "Do you have a name?"

Silas couldn't help but grin at the stupid way he had phrased the question, "I do." He teased, easily falling into the role of someone laid back and fun. Easy, in part, because he meant it, "Would you like to know it?"

Allen rolled his eyes and got back to work, "Yes."

"Silas." He said, finally relenting in his teasing.

They made small talk some of the time while they worked on taking apart the sets. Other times Allen would ask him to do impressions. His requests only got more outlandish the longer they worked, and he was more delighted every time Silas pulled them off. It was the most fun Silas could remember having while cleaning the stage. Eventually, when the novelty wore off, they went back to talking.

"So why do all of this?" Allen eventually asked, gesturing to the left over set pieces that they still had to break down, "Breaking down the sets and all the cleaning? Isn't that what the theater Staff is for?"

"The theater staff are here to make the experience of the theater better." He said as he walked toward the left stage wing to grab the broom and begin sweeping the stage. He tried to keep the annoyance from his voice, Allen didn't know any better, "Not to clean up after the actors."

"Okay, but like, why you specifically?' He prodded, "No one stayed behind to help you."

"They never do." Silas said as he finished sweeping and headed back to the left stage to but the broom away and grab the dry mop, "Most of the group have lives outside of the theater. This is my time to unwind and I enjoy it."

"Sorry for intruding then." Allen said, straightening up from where he had been leaning against the wall and gestured behind him toward the exit as he spoke, "I can leave if you want."

"You're not intruding, its fine." He smiled and changed the subject because his curiosity was slowly starting to kill him, "You know about me, so how about you tell me a little bit about you. What's with the security get up?"

Allen ribbed the back of his neck and let out a nervous chuckle, "I'm in school for criminology. This is just to pay the bills."

"Ah," So he probably wanted to be a cop like Richard did, he wondered if Allen would ever cross paths with his brother, "Going to the police academy when you graduate then?"

"That's the plan." Allen said with a slight smile, "I'd like to make SWAT at some point."

Silas's eyebrows took a hike toward his hairline. He propped himself up on the mop handle and stared at Allen in shock, "That desperate to get shot? Here I thought you were working security to flex your strength. Use your muscles to knack some heads together."

His eyes wandered over Allen without his permission, and he briefly wondered what it would feel like to be pinned down my him. A solid body like that had to feel pretty good. He was pulled out of his thoughts by the timbre of Allen's voice.

"I want to help people. Save them if I am able." The genuine conviction in Allen's voice shook Silas down to his bones, "There are enough people trying to prevent the bad from happening, but not enough there for when it inevitably does. I want to change that."

Silas couldn't have prevented his smile even if he had been bribed with his favorite brand of cigarettes, "That's very noble of you. I like it."

"Thanks." Allen paused for a moment, not used to Silas's brand of complimenting, "I think?"

Silas laughed as he started mopping again, "It was a compliment."

"So what about you?" Allen asked as Silas finished up and put the mop away, "Why theater?"

"That's easy." He walked to the edge of the stage and sat down. "Up here I get to put the world away and become anyone I want to be. In the process I get to help other people find their escape as well. Pull people into a story and we all get to forget about all the bad shit going on in the world for a few hours. A performing arts degree seemed like the best way to make sure that I got to keep doing that."

Silas was surprised he had spit all of that out. Normally he just gave a simple answer or lied. He didn't open up like this, it made him feel vulnerable. It let people get in too close. He didn't really understand why or how Allen had been able to pull the actual answer out of him so easily. His phone rang and scared the life out of him. He looked down to see Markus's name. It was time to leave apparently. It didn't feel like three hours had passed since his smoke break. He answered so Markus wouldn't worry, listening as the nurse told him where he was parked. When it was done he hung up.

"That would be my ride. See you around Allen." He hopped off the stage and headed for the lobby.

"Yeah. see you around Silas." The security guard called after him.

Silas lit another cigarette on his way to Markus's car. His third one of the afternoon, so much for cutting back. Connor would be disappointed if he found out, but what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him. He finished it before he got to Markus's car, storing the snuffed evidence in the box he pulled it from since there wasn't a garbage bin near by.

"So how was practice?" Markus asked as Silas got in the car.

"Good." Silas said with a smile, "We're just about a week ahead of schedule."

"That's great." Markus turned on the radio as they pulled out of the parking lot back toward Silas's apartment.

When they got to the complex Silas thanked Markus and headed up to his unit. Allen made his way back into his thoughts. More specifically Silas's worries, he never normally opened up like that, but Allen had asked about the theater and Silas couldn't stop the words as they stampeded past his lips. It was uncomfortable, and the sensible solution would be to keep his distance. But he was so tempted to give in, and he knew if he did he wouldn't come out of it in one piece. Like all tempting things, Allen was dangerous. He was attractive, sweet, strong, and too perfect not to come with some kind of catch. Silas was interested and that was the problem. Interest lead to feelings, feelings lead to love, and Silas didn't do love.

"If you're not careful Silas, you're gonna fuck around and fall in love." He mused aloud.

And what a thing that would be. Breaking his own set of worlds for someone like Allen. Someone who looked like safety incarnate, like someone who could hold Silas together when he threatened to come undone, who seemed like everything Silas could ever want. This would only end badly, for those reasons and more. Men like Allen always had a catch. He was already in this deep so there wasn't much left to lose. If he came away burnt, it was something he would have known from the start. There was nothing quite like the thrill of rolling in the hay with a lit match.

**Author's Note:**

> tumblr: rjhpandapaws


End file.
